Laws to prevent dons joining private universities

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

New laws will be introduced to discourage government university lecturers joining private universities, Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake said. The minister said laws will be introduced to prevent government lecturers joining as full time staff of private universities within three years after resigning from state universities.

“However, government university teachers will not be prevented from functioning as visiting lecturers of private universities,” he added.

Higher Education Ministry sources said that the ministry has decided to initiate these measures since there is a tendency for state university lecturers vacating their posts to join private universities for better perks and privileges.

According to the sources, the minister had decided to request the providers of non-government higher education to grant scholarships to local students to encourage the equality of participation.

The minister also hopes to arrange a bank loan scheme for needy students.

“We have fundamentals to make Sri Lanka the knowledge hub of Asia. Creating a favourable environment to accomplish the knowledge hub status, as envisaged in the Mahinda Chinthana Future Vision, requires both the expansion of educational opportunities and quality improvement of higher education,” Dissanayake said.

A council for non-government higher education will be established within the Higher Education Ministry to provide its functions,duties and powers.

The Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council established under this Act will assure the delivery of quality higher education programmes offered by all higher education institutions in the country, the minister said.

This Council will have powers to accredit courses and to withdraw the accreditation if the programmes are conducted below the stipulated standards. This would necessitate the improvement of the quality of courses, teaching material, and the qualifications and academic superiority of teachers in the higher education sector.

There is a tendency for state university lecturers vacating posts to join private universities for better perks.